Nicola Palfrey

Nicola is a Clinical Psychologist and researcher who has worked extensively with children, young people and adults who have experienced adversity and trauma. She is Head of Clinical Leadership at headspace National where she works with her team to provide support and guidance to the headspace Network to ensure young people receive mental health and wellbeing care that is appropriate, safe and centred around the needs of the young people themselves. Nicola’s work is driven by a passion for creating trauma sensitive environments, systems and processes to ensure that all people receiving services and care are treated with compassion, understanding and a recognition of their strengths and capacity.

Nicola’s Churchill Fellowship garnered insights from health and education services and systems as well as broader communities who have managed to implement trauma informed practices at scale. The project also investigated the latest approaches to managing the increasing levels of psychological distress amongst younger children including those engaging in self harm and suicidal behaviours.